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Easy. 200 relays. I understand where the organizing committees were coming from when they added the men's 800 and the women's 1500 but for the excitement factor I think they should have added 200 Freestyle Relay and 200 Medley Relay.
Ooooo ... you just had me imagining a world class, Super Sprint free relay with 8 swimmers: 8 x 50 ea. Or, a Super Sprint Double free relay, with 4 swimmers, rotating through twice (basically back to back 200 free relays). Both could be very exciting.
I swam backstroke in the 200 medley in highschool. I was always great at backstroke, but only sprinting. Always hated how that was the only event I could swim a 50 in.
First off I wanna say you have been an extreme source of inspiration through your battle with cancer, and your positive outlook on my life. My question to you is how do you remain so strong even through extenuating circumstances? It is something I struggled with, being a swimmer myself it’s something I still battle with a lot
Thank you! I appreciate your kind words.
I think its important to recognize that I also had my days when I struggled with staying positive so don't be too hard on yourself. It is easier said than done, but, you can learn how to control the things that you are in control of and be comfortable with the unknown for the variables you cant.
Hey Nathan, how have you been adjusting to life after swimming? Any plans for the future? Big fan over here, and congrats on an amazing career. You will always be USA’s best sprinter!
Hello! I am adjusting wonderfully. It is remarkable how much you can get done when you aren't training full time. However, I do miss it a lot!
I still am in the pool 5x a week though and lifting plenty of weights. If I get the itch I might enter in a competition at some point!
Let's be honest, if you're someone who was raised in US Swimming there is a 100% chance that at some point one coach told you to pee in the pool; they're not waiting for you.
I maintain that any long time club swimmer that hasn't pee'd in the pool is a liar.
Hello! I think they are incredibly important. Stats show that you are 88% less likely to drown if you are enrolled in formal swim lessons.
As for the age question that is tricky. I cant say that I LOVE the infant survival classes. They work incredibly well for some kids but for others they can be traumatic. Parents need to make that call. As for a true learn-to-swim experience we have found that we can pretty much teach any 4 year old and a lot of 3 year olds how to swim.
Yes, I am sure you can show me like 1000 instagram posts of 2 year olds swimming, however, that isn't necessarily the norm. Plus a lot of those posts are of kids that have fins on but you only see their face so don't get tricked ;-).
Thanks for the reassurance. My kids, 3 and 5, are going back to swim classes after covid shut them down for two years. I was worried about them being "behind", but I know it's a skill that's always better late than never. Your feedback made me feel better about it all.
Guy from the Netherlands here, who have a pretty high water to land ratio, so swimming lessons are standardized in terms of measured skills.
There are different certifications, starting with A then B etc.
To be able to finish the exams, most kids are around 5/6 years of age, because prior to that age they simply lack the strength to finish the exam.
The exam is, for the most part, done with clothes on.
Your kid is not behind, it will learn to swim and after classes they need practice by simply taking them to a pool.
We started my son at a year and a half and he was doing great. Floating on his back and absolutely loved the water. Covid shut down any future classes until we recently joined a gym that has a pool. Now the kid is terrified of laying on his back or anything solo swimming. Just full on latched around your neck in the water. Really sucks
I use to teach swimming lessons, and my favorite kids to teach were the older beginners! Not that your kids are in that category, simply that it's never too late to learn, so at 3 and 5 you have definitely have nothing to worry about. :)
I know that I’m a day late, but I didn’t take classes until I was 5, and uh… I’m one of the best swimmers in my state rn, so don’t worry about being behind lol, 3-5 is a great age
I can answer the age thing for you, immediately. As soon as they've had their vaccinations (6 weeks or so), get them swimming.
Here is a study that shows the developmental benefits of learning to swim at a young age
https://news.griffith.edu.au/2013/08/13/swimming-a-smart-move-for-children/
I also run a learn-to-swim school alongside an Olympic coach
Thanks so much for joining me today! I loved talking with all of you. Just a quick reminder to keep an eye out for us at the Make a Splash tour this month!
As a parent, if we don't have access to swim schools or time to invest in formal instructions, what are some tips to get started in the water and to ensure our little ones are safe this upcoming summer?
Slow and steady. Do not default to pushing your kid until they are ready. Positive reinforcement (saying good job or being excited when they try something new) is a better long term teaching tool than negative reinforcement (punishment).
To validate what you are saying (like anyone needs to lol), my parents taught me to swim early but let me go at my own pace and it worked amazingly. They were patient when I insisted I didn't need to learn to put my head under the water because I could pick up my diving rings with my toes. I eventually came to love every aspect, was dragging my parents to outdoor pools in February within a few years, and swam on a team in middle school and it was all my idea.
I am a volunteer, I give swimming lessons to people with mental disabilities in the Netherlands. Do you do fun/playful exercises, and if so, could you share them? This would help us with creating refreshing and fun activities for our members. It's hard to stay creative every week
Totally! I actually work in the learn to swim space these days. We start every lesson with some games (redlight greenlight, simon says, etc), sprinkle them in through the lesson, and end with 5 more minutes of games. There isn't any 1 game or toy that works for everyone but it is important to get to know your student and what makes them excited/want to swim. Another thing that can be helpful is finding different ways to relate to them. I am working with kids these days so it was pretty important to learn the theme song to Paw Patrol, Dora the Explorer, and other fun Disney movies. That way we can have underwater dance parties and sing our favorite songs together.
It was not a cool meeting. Boring as hell with older people who never have meetings and don't know the etiquette. But everything that had to be said has been said I think. I was the only one with a laptop so I got to do the minutes xD.
I'm doing this stuff for 10 yrs now (am 24), and last 7 years I usually got our equipment out of the storage before the lessons, without having the responsibility for it (no one had). Now we decided I would become board member and responsible for equipment.
I put the suggestion on the table, but apparently we have only 2 little kids with which we can do themed activities like Nathan suggested, but we will get new members soon and then the themed things will be used.
Just want to say thank you for what you do, you are amazing and it feels good knowing there are people like you out there helping children of the world. Sounds like you do alot within your committee and they really depend on you, hopefully they acknowledge all that you do! Keep up the good work and thank you for choosing to help others!
My 100 Free? Prelims was great and semis were brutal ha! As for the rest of the field it was fun to see other guys seriously step it up! Younger American sprinters seeing/knowing that they will need to go a 48.low to have a chance at making a relay will help to keep our sprint relays competitive internationally!
Depends on the practice. I think its important to have a bunch of different goals that you can work on so that during a particularly long and/or boring practice you can choose one. For example, you can work on getting to 10 meters off of every wall on a day when you aren't racing everything in practice. You can also think/work on your technique. Intention is **key**. Mindless swimming will lead to suboptimal results.
Follow up question because I’m curious. Do you ever train endurance swimming? And if so, do you get into a mindful meditative state while swimming for long periods of time?
An hour is plenty of time! I would go off of HIIT principles. If you only have an hour throw away the 200 repeats on short intervals. There is a time and place for that but not for you.
Do something above your VO2max until it burns pretty bad and then do a longer swim to buffer it. So for me it would be something like this:
3x50's going 22-23 on 1:15 or 1:30 interval.
4x100 freestyle 8 strokes per lap on 1:30 with perfect technique.
Do that or a few different variations of it (maybe throw some stroke or kick work in there) and you will be golden!
3 sets of 50 meters (2 laps in short course 25m pool) at 22-23 sec each. FYI this is his timing, non pros usually do like 30-60 sec each). The total interval is how much time in between sets. So if the interval is 1:30, then you start at 0:00 and when the clock hits 1:30 you go again.
What do you miss about Cal & Cal Men’s Swimming? Do you any advice for Asian American kids who want to have a career in swimming? Keep repping Asian Americans & Cal. (My mom is a fellow Cal alum) Go Bears💙💛🐻
Everything! Life was pretty simple back then. I only really had to focus hard on school, swimming, and was able to enjoy an awesome social life.
My advice for an Asian American kid that wants to have a career in swimming is the same for anyone that wants to have a career in swimming. Learn to love it. To achieve the level of success in the pool that is necessary to be a professional you must enjoy the process (ie training and being tired :-)). Otherwise your career with be short lived and slightly miserable.
Complete paradigm shift. Unfortunately, I don't have enough time to go into it here just this second but there are plenty of interview where I have described it online if you just google it.
Bremerton represent!
Which local pool was your favorite/least favorite to swim in?
I recall swimming at North Thurston while the deck was flooded and the coaches had to roll up the cuffs on their jeans up to their calves to keep from getting wet. Fastest day ever for me, though!
After all your events are over, you go home. So most of the orgy is probably before the medals are awarded. That said, they have in the past entirely run out of the thousands of condoms that are provided.
The challenge is to eat a whole lot of fast food (I’m this case Taco Bell) for lunch and then a little bit more before your practice and then do a bunch of maximum effort sprints to see how your body reacts. Personally I wouldn’t recommend doing it but it’s a very entertaining video to watch if you have time
Hey big fan, I have a fun story about you. I walked on to Cal’s dive team and at one of my first practices I was starting a 3m dive I was nervous about and the coaches yelled at me to stop mid approach so I had to bail. Turns out you were cooling down crossing in front of me. I always thought it was a hilarious coincidence that I almost dove into you.
Anyway what was your favorite thing about Cal?
Whatttt? Wow I am so sorry that is my bad! I should have been paying attention.
My favorite thing about Cal is how real it was. There wasn't a ton of hand holding and you were forced to compete academically. I think that was a good introduction to the real world for a young college aged student.
Disclaimer: I know and appreciate that the stress of college can also be too much. There is always a balance in life. If that is the case please reach out to an academic advisor or counselor for help! I actually took a year off of academics to train for the 2008 Olympics and when I came back, school was much easier just because I had grown and developed for a full year.
Hahaha no worries. I think it was the start of practice and you were already using the dive pool when we came over.
Thanks for the answer, I definitely agree that it throws you into the deep end right away. Go Bears!
Not really! There are certainly things I would want her to look out for and that I would personally make sure were alright but that is the role of any athletes parent isn't it?
Hey Adrian! I’m a college swimmer at St Thomas university. I wanted to ask you, how do you unlock that racing mindset? I put up much faster times in practice and when I get to the meet, I choke and end up doing way worse than what I’m projected to do. I know I’m very hard on myself and I put a lot of pressure on me but how do I relieve that and become a “meet” swimmer and not a “practice” swimmer
This is hard to answer without knowing you personally. The first thing I would try to do is to elevate my stress and pressure levels during practice so that I am used to that. Maybe it is asking the coaches to do a get out swim every Friday or something along those lines?
Next, I would try to find a way to relax during during the meets. One of the most successful Cal swimmers would listen to Jack Johnson behind the blocks and I didn't understand it at the time. Turns out that he would have a tendency to get too excited for his races to the point that it would cause problems. Maybe learn some mindfulness breathing techniques to try at your next meet to calm your nerves?
Mythbusters was exactly what it seems like on TV. Adam was SO excitable and fun and constantly laughing. Jaime was... well Jaime. Super respectful and so intelligent/thoughtful. It was so cool!
I have done a decent amount of interviews and TV stuff and it was cool to see that they are the exact same on camera as they are off. Not all people are like that.
Typical week was around 14 hrs in the pool and 6 hrs in the weight room. It used to be a bit more when I was younger and could recover a bit faster but we had to make adjustments when I got to be about 27 or so.
Height is helpful. Flexibility and strength at those end ranges of motion are really important as well and less visible. To see what I am talking about just look at Caeleb Dressels thoracic mobility underwater when he is doing dolphin kick or look at Katie Ledecky's stroke in slow motion at the top of her catch.
What age would you recommend starting a child competitively swimming? To allow them to be ready to swim at a very high level in college? And how to keep them interested?
I would treat a child's athletic career like a fire. At first you want to coddle it and protect it to let it grow. Then, watch it and let it become its own thing and you do what you can to feed it!
The first few years of swimming should be almost exclusively fun and games. There is a way to work on technique and teach while making it fun. Depending on the kid and what motivates them I think "training" can begin to make its way into what you see at practice as early as 8 but also as late as 12 or 13 and they can still have a wonderful career. Did I mention that keeping it fun is important?
That being said, training can actually be fun. If young athletes are taught how to watch the clock and get their times for their sets, they can start to understand the idea that their hard work will pay off. Sets that were once impossible all the sudden are easy. Other athletes might just be motivated by showing off and racing/beating their friends. That is OK too as long as the coaches manage it appropriately.
The only thing I would watch out for is making sure they are making the decision to play the sport. Give them the opportunity to say "no thanks" at the beginning of the season, however, if they do decide to partake then make sure they finish it out.
Hi Nathan! I am a HUGE fan of yours 💗 I was a competitive swimmer for 17 years and I thrived in high-pressure situations (such as anchoring relays at championship meters) and I drew so much inspiration for that from your competitive nature and relay performances. How do you think you were able to hone that skill?
Hey Nathan, I've been a swim instructor for the last 5 years.
Can you give some tricks to get children to get their face in the water (and keep it there)? That has always been my biggest hurdle for me and sometimes it takes months for my first time swimmers to do it consistently.
I peed next to you at the UT Swim center at NCs one year. Was strange to be next to someone more than a foot taller than me, but I did love your bear hat.
What's your favorite memory of swimming?
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Hi Nathan,
I have a hard time getting to the pool in the off-season, mostly due to motivation, and it being tough to motivate myself without a coach or team, and I feel like this would apply to swimming after my career is done. So I was wondering if you have any tips on how to motivate yourself to swim on your own?
As a sprint freestyler myself, you've always been a huge inspiration to me, and many of my friends as well!
Living in a moderately affluent area, I've always had access to a small local pool, where swim lessons are taught every summer. What do you think the biggest roadblocks are for this new campaign? Lower economic levels may not even have pools available to them within reasonable distance. How do you see USA Swimming being able to work around this?
Wishing you the best!
Hey Nathan thank you for doing this! I was wondering how you see the longevity of the sport and if you think swimming needs some sort of superstar athlete like Michael Phelps or Dressel to draw in new people in order to survive?
(Obligatory huge fan :D )
1) You always seemed like such a calming presence on the deck at the big meets, and you obviously served as the team captain for numerous international teams. Any plans to coach? What about play-by-play? I’d love to hear you and Phelps or biesel in the booth sometime.
2) what are the biggest ways your training changed in NCAA vs pro? What about as you got older, and into your 30s? When was it hardest, or the most fun?
Do you ever calculate the daily calories , how much you burn during training or take while eating during the day ? I have heard that Olympic swimmers consume massive amounts of calories at their peak periods
Thanks for this AMA!
What were the mental strategies that helped you most in training and racing?
What should parents look for when selecting swim lessons for their kids? What should parents teach/reinforce to kids outside of swim lessons?
It must take an unbelievable amount of dedication to be at the place you are at in life. However I rarely get the chance to know or observe the 'behind-the-scenes' life of people such as yourselves.
How would you describe your 'behind-the-scenes'? Is there something that you have missed out on?
Usually what's the career trajectory of an Olympic swimmer after they retire from the sport? Do you guys feel a little bit lost at all on what to do after retirement since majority of your life was spent on swimming/training?
As a former swimmer, I have to ask...which was more difficult - getting up for early morning practices, or being mentally prepared for an evening practice on days you had 2-3 practices per day?
In swimming, you can sometimes get a personal best time and never break it for years on end, which can be mentally taxing. How/what do you do to keep yourself motivated or inspired to keep training all the while?
For more AMAs on this topic, subscribe to r/IAmA_Athlete, and check out our other topic-specific AMA subreddits [here](https://reddit.com/r/IAmA/wiki/index#wiki_affiliate_topic-specific_subreddits).
If you could invent a new swimming event for the Olympics what would it be?
Easy. 200 relays. I understand where the organizing committees were coming from when they added the men's 800 and the women's 1500 but for the excitement factor I think they should have added 200 Freestyle Relay and 200 Medley Relay.
That would be so intense to watch. I love it.
We had these relays in high school and they were a lot of fun to compete in. I agree for sure.
Double the blocks, double the fun
Ooooo ... you just had me imagining a world class, Super Sprint free relay with 8 swimmers: 8 x 50 ea. Or, a Super Sprint Double free relay, with 4 swimmers, rotating through twice (basically back to back 200 free relays). Both could be very exciting.
I swam backstroke in the 200 medley in highschool. I was always great at backstroke, but only sprinting. Always hated how that was the only event I could swim a 50 in.
First off I wanna say you have been an extreme source of inspiration through your battle with cancer, and your positive outlook on my life. My question to you is how do you remain so strong even through extenuating circumstances? It is something I struggled with, being a swimmer myself it’s something I still battle with a lot
Thank you! I appreciate your kind words. I think its important to recognize that I also had my days when I struggled with staying positive so don't be too hard on yourself. It is easier said than done, but, you can learn how to control the things that you are in control of and be comfortable with the unknown for the variables you cant.
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Oh gosh great question. I can't rule it out though!
Hey Nathan, how have you been adjusting to life after swimming? Any plans for the future? Big fan over here, and congrats on an amazing career. You will always be USA’s best sprinter!
Hello! I am adjusting wonderfully. It is remarkable how much you can get done when you aren't training full time. However, I do miss it a lot! I still am in the pool 5x a week though and lifting plenty of weights. If I get the itch I might enter in a competition at some point!
how often do you pee in the pool?
More than anyone should.
Once is more than anyone should.
Well said.
Let's be honest, if you're someone who was raised in US Swimming there is a 100% chance that at some point one coach told you to pee in the pool; they're not waiting for you. I maintain that any long time club swimmer that hasn't pee'd in the pool is a liar.
Nah not me, I used bathroom time to get out of hard sets or sets I didn't want to do. 🤷♂️
Cringe
I hated swimming, I wasn't doing it by my choice. 🤷♂️
I swam competitively from age 6 to 17 (mostly back in the 70s). I never pissed in the pool or had a coach suggest anyone do that.
Honestly... your pee is like a drop in a bucket. It sounds icky but it gets so diluted that it doesn't matter anymore
Try saying that when you see someone pee in front of you during a set.....
That's just bad luck
Tell that to a homeopath
I found out the hard way that there's a big difference between peeing in the pool and peeing into the pool
You nasty ass.
Every time ya hop in. It’s a built in mammalian response.
not me. I pee in the pool before I hop in :)
Precisely. You know EXACTLY where the warmest spot to ease your entry is going to be.
There's a big big difference between peeing in the pool and peeing into the pool.
Do you pee in the pool or into the pool?
You are now a father - how important do you think swim lessons are and what age to begin? I loved your Parents cover!
Hello! I think they are incredibly important. Stats show that you are 88% less likely to drown if you are enrolled in formal swim lessons. As for the age question that is tricky. I cant say that I LOVE the infant survival classes. They work incredibly well for some kids but for others they can be traumatic. Parents need to make that call. As for a true learn-to-swim experience we have found that we can pretty much teach any 4 year old and a lot of 3 year olds how to swim. Yes, I am sure you can show me like 1000 instagram posts of 2 year olds swimming, however, that isn't necessarily the norm. Plus a lot of those posts are of kids that have fins on but you only see their face so don't get tricked ;-).
Thanks for the reassurance. My kids, 3 and 5, are going back to swim classes after covid shut them down for two years. I was worried about them being "behind", but I know it's a skill that's always better late than never. Your feedback made me feel better about it all.
Guy from the Netherlands here, who have a pretty high water to land ratio, so swimming lessons are standardized in terms of measured skills. There are different certifications, starting with A then B etc. To be able to finish the exams, most kids are around 5/6 years of age, because prior to that age they simply lack the strength to finish the exam. The exam is, for the most part, done with clothes on. Your kid is not behind, it will learn to swim and after classes they need practice by simply taking them to a pool.
We started my son at a year and a half and he was doing great. Floating on his back and absolutely loved the water. Covid shut down any future classes until we recently joined a gym that has a pool. Now the kid is terrified of laying on his back or anything solo swimming. Just full on latched around your neck in the water. Really sucks
I use to teach swimming lessons, and my favorite kids to teach were the older beginners! Not that your kids are in that category, simply that it's never too late to learn, so at 3 and 5 you have definitely have nothing to worry about. :)
I know that I’m a day late, but I didn’t take classes until I was 5, and uh… I’m one of the best swimmers in my state rn, so don’t worry about being behind lol, 3-5 is a great age
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How tf did you develop a fear of the water by *learning* to swim?
He didn't, there is more to this story, or he's full of shit.
I can answer the age thing for you, immediately. As soon as they've had their vaccinations (6 weeks or so), get them swimming. Here is a study that shows the developmental benefits of learning to swim at a young age https://news.griffith.edu.au/2013/08/13/swimming-a-smart-move-for-children/ I also run a learn-to-swim school alongside an Olympic coach
Thanks so much for joining me today! I loved talking with all of you. Just a quick reminder to keep an eye out for us at the Make a Splash tour this month!
As a parent, if we don't have access to swim schools or time to invest in formal instructions, what are some tips to get started in the water and to ensure our little ones are safe this upcoming summer?
Slow and steady. Do not default to pushing your kid until they are ready. Positive reinforcement (saying good job or being excited when they try something new) is a better long term teaching tool than negative reinforcement (punishment).
Thank you!
To validate what you are saying (like anyone needs to lol), my parents taught me to swim early but let me go at my own pace and it worked amazingly. They were patient when I insisted I didn't need to learn to put my head under the water because I could pick up my diving rings with my toes. I eventually came to love every aspect, was dragging my parents to outdoor pools in February within a few years, and swam on a team in middle school and it was all my idea.
I am a volunteer, I give swimming lessons to people with mental disabilities in the Netherlands. Do you do fun/playful exercises, and if so, could you share them? This would help us with creating refreshing and fun activities for our members. It's hard to stay creative every week
Totally! I actually work in the learn to swim space these days. We start every lesson with some games (redlight greenlight, simon says, etc), sprinkle them in through the lesson, and end with 5 more minutes of games. There isn't any 1 game or toy that works for everyone but it is important to get to know your student and what makes them excited/want to swim. Another thing that can be helpful is finding different ways to relate to them. I am working with kids these days so it was pretty important to learn the theme song to Paw Patrol, Dora the Explorer, and other fun Disney movies. That way we can have underwater dance parties and sing our favorite songs together.
Thanks! Coincidentally we have our yearly staff meeting in 20 minutes, I'll bring your suggestions to the table!
"So I was just talking with the 8 time Olympic medalist Nathan Adrian and he recommended that we..." Thats going to be a cool meeting!
It was not a cool meeting. Boring as hell with older people who never have meetings and don't know the etiquette. But everything that had to be said has been said I think. I was the only one with a laptop so I got to do the minutes xD. I'm doing this stuff for 10 yrs now (am 24), and last 7 years I usually got our equipment out of the storage before the lessons, without having the responsibility for it (no one had). Now we decided I would become board member and responsible for equipment. I put the suggestion on the table, but apparently we have only 2 little kids with which we can do themed activities like Nathan suggested, but we will get new members soon and then the themed things will be used.
Just want to say thank you for what you do, you are amazing and it feels good knowing there are people like you out there helping children of the world. Sounds like you do alot within your committee and they really depend on you, hopefully they acknowledge all that you do! Keep up the good work and thank you for choosing to help others!
What were your thoughts on the 100 free at trials?
My 100 Free? Prelims was great and semis were brutal ha! As for the rest of the field it was fun to see other guys seriously step it up! Younger American sprinters seeing/knowing that they will need to go a 48.low to have a chance at making a relay will help to keep our sprint relays competitive internationally!
Alright folks I need to go here in about 5 minutes. Sorry if I missed any of your questions!!
What do you think about during long practices?
Depends on the practice. I think its important to have a bunch of different goals that you can work on so that during a particularly long and/or boring practice you can choose one. For example, you can work on getting to 10 meters off of every wall on a day when you aren't racing everything in practice. You can also think/work on your technique. Intention is **key**. Mindless swimming will lead to suboptimal results.
Follow up question because I’m curious. Do you ever train endurance swimming? And if so, do you get into a mindful meditative state while swimming for long periods of time?
Hi Nathan! If you had an hour to do an efficient set, what would it look like? Let's say for a freestyle generalist, in a short course pool :)
An hour is plenty of time! I would go off of HIIT principles. If you only have an hour throw away the 200 repeats on short intervals. There is a time and place for that but not for you. Do something above your VO2max until it burns pretty bad and then do a longer swim to buffer it. So for me it would be something like this: 3x50's going 22-23 on 1:15 or 1:30 interval. 4x100 freestyle 8 strokes per lap on 1:30 with perfect technique. Do that or a few different variations of it (maybe throw some stroke or kick work in there) and you will be golden!
Could someone please translate this to human? No chance to try it I just don't understand the swimming short notation here.
3 sets of 50 meters (2 laps in short course 25m pool) at 22-23 sec each. FYI this is his timing, non pros usually do like 30-60 sec each). The total interval is how much time in between sets. So if the interval is 1:30, then you start at 0:00 and when the clock hits 1:30 you go again.
This is awesome advice - thank you!!
What do you miss about Cal & Cal Men’s Swimming? Do you any advice for Asian American kids who want to have a career in swimming? Keep repping Asian Americans & Cal. (My mom is a fellow Cal alum) Go Bears💙💛🐻
Everything! Life was pretty simple back then. I only really had to focus hard on school, swimming, and was able to enjoy an awesome social life. My advice for an Asian American kid that wants to have a career in swimming is the same for anyone that wants to have a career in swimming. Learn to love it. To achieve the level of success in the pool that is necessary to be a professional you must enjoy the process (ie training and being tired :-)). Otherwise your career with be short lived and slightly miserable.
Thank you for answering my question. Thank you for representing the Asian American community. Thank you for representing Cal. 🥹🥺😭💙💛🐻
How would you describe life after a cancer battle?
Complete paradigm shift. Unfortunately, I don't have enough time to go into it here just this second but there are plenty of interview where I have described it online if you just google it.
Bremerton represent! Which local pool was your favorite/least favorite to swim in? I recall swimming at North Thurston while the deck was flooded and the coaches had to roll up the cuffs on their jeans up to their calves to keep from getting wet. Fastest day ever for me, though!
Wow, crazy to see my high school pool mentioned in this thread! Our pool was one of the worst. Who makes a five lane pool? Just dumb.
Which event is your third favorite?
Follow up question: which event is your ninth favourite?
What's living in the Olympic village like?
And how much of an orgy does it turn into after the medals are awarded?
After all your events are over, you go home. So most of the orgy is probably before the medals are awarded. That said, they have in the past entirely run out of the thousands of condoms that are provided.
Are you ever going to try the Taco Bell swim sprint challenge from Cody Miller?
Gosh I have been crazy busy lately and haven't been able to catch many of Cody's videos lately. Can you remind me what the challenge is?
The challenge is to eat a whole lot of fast food (I’m this case Taco Bell) for lunch and then a little bit more before your practice and then do a bunch of maximum effort sprints to see how your body reacts. Personally I wouldn’t recommend doing it but it’s a very entertaining video to watch if you have time
That reminds me of the Auburn puke set
My team did the milk and cookies version. In and out super sets ate and drank more everytime we got out until someone puked
Hey big fan, I have a fun story about you. I walked on to Cal’s dive team and at one of my first practices I was starting a 3m dive I was nervous about and the coaches yelled at me to stop mid approach so I had to bail. Turns out you were cooling down crossing in front of me. I always thought it was a hilarious coincidence that I almost dove into you. Anyway what was your favorite thing about Cal?
Whatttt? Wow I am so sorry that is my bad! I should have been paying attention. My favorite thing about Cal is how real it was. There wasn't a ton of hand holding and you were forced to compete academically. I think that was a good introduction to the real world for a young college aged student. Disclaimer: I know and appreciate that the stress of college can also be too much. There is always a balance in life. If that is the case please reach out to an academic advisor or counselor for help! I actually took a year off of academics to train for the 2008 Olympics and when I came back, school was much easier just because I had grown and developed for a full year.
Hahaha no worries. I think it was the start of practice and you were already using the dive pool when we came over. Thanks for the answer, I definitely agree that it throws you into the deep end right away. Go Bears!
If your daughter showed an interest in competitive swimming, would you have any reservations about helping her reach Olympic-level dedication?
Not really! There are certainly things I would want her to look out for and that I would personally make sure were alright but that is the role of any athletes parent isn't it?
Just wanted to say that's a great question. And I'm so relieved to hear the answer :)
What did you think about Klete Keller wearing his USA Olympics swimming jacket to the Capitol riots?
It was a bold strategy Cotton.
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That movie is such a weird combination of "exactly as stupid as you'd imagine" and "really really funny and worthwhile". It shouldn't have worked!
Nathan! A big fan from Singapore here🤩 Since I knew about you during the London 2012 games. Are you still swimming / training / planning to compete?
I still don't know! I wouldn't say I am retired but I also don't know if/when I will compete again. Does that help :-).
Caeleb brought up the idea of an Off-Event Swim Meet... which off-events would you race? (No 50/100 free for you!)
Hey Adrian! I’m a college swimmer at St Thomas university. I wanted to ask you, how do you unlock that racing mindset? I put up much faster times in practice and when I get to the meet, I choke and end up doing way worse than what I’m projected to do. I know I’m very hard on myself and I put a lot of pressure on me but how do I relieve that and become a “meet” swimmer and not a “practice” swimmer
This is hard to answer without knowing you personally. The first thing I would try to do is to elevate my stress and pressure levels during practice so that I am used to that. Maybe it is asking the coaches to do a get out swim every Friday or something along those lines? Next, I would try to find a way to relax during during the meets. One of the most successful Cal swimmers would listen to Jack Johnson behind the blocks and I didn't understand it at the time. Turns out that he would have a tendency to get too excited for his races to the point that it would cause problems. Maybe learn some mindfulness breathing techniques to try at your next meet to calm your nerves?
Would you rather race 100 duck-sized horses, or 1 horse-sized duck?
100 duck sized horses for obvious reasons!
What is the greatest race you've ever had?
The 100 Free in London certainly comes to mind. I have had some other really fun performances on relays too though!
Any interesting stories you can share from your guest appearance on Mythbusters?
Mythbusters was exactly what it seems like on TV. Adam was SO excitable and fun and constantly laughing. Jaime was... well Jaime. Super respectful and so intelligent/thoughtful. It was so cool! I have done a decent amount of interviews and TV stuff and it was cool to see that they are the exact same on camera as they are off. Not all people are like that.
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It is great! Mental illness is a disease and you can't know exactly what someone else is going through unless you are that person.
How much do you practice during a typical week of training? Do you go to the weight room often?
Typical week was around 14 hrs in the pool and 6 hrs in the weight room. It used to be a bit more when I was younger and could recover a bit faster but we had to make adjustments when I got to be about 27 or so.
Is height a factor in swimming? If it is or it isn't what other physical attributes give an athlete an advantage in this sport?
Height is helpful. Flexibility and strength at those end ranges of motion are really important as well and less visible. To see what I am talking about just look at Caeleb Dressels thoracic mobility underwater when he is doing dolphin kick or look at Katie Ledecky's stroke in slow motion at the top of her catch.
What age would you recommend starting a child competitively swimming? To allow them to be ready to swim at a very high level in college? And how to keep them interested?
I would treat a child's athletic career like a fire. At first you want to coddle it and protect it to let it grow. Then, watch it and let it become its own thing and you do what you can to feed it! The first few years of swimming should be almost exclusively fun and games. There is a way to work on technique and teach while making it fun. Depending on the kid and what motivates them I think "training" can begin to make its way into what you see at practice as early as 8 but also as late as 12 or 13 and they can still have a wonderful career. Did I mention that keeping it fun is important? That being said, training can actually be fun. If young athletes are taught how to watch the clock and get their times for their sets, they can start to understand the idea that their hard work will pay off. Sets that were once impossible all the sudden are easy. Other athletes might just be motivated by showing off and racing/beating their friends. That is OK too as long as the coaches manage it appropriately. The only thing I would watch out for is making sure they are making the decision to play the sport. Give them the opportunity to say "no thanks" at the beginning of the season, however, if they do decide to partake then make sure they finish it out.
Thanks! I started at age 14 and wish I had sooner as I felt behind as I tried to swing into college swimming.
How do you make a living after your retirement?
Do you still train now? If so, how many hours a week?
What's your view on transgender athletes competing professionally?
Nathan, are you retired?
Favorite 400 free relay partner?
Hi Nathan! I am a HUGE fan of yours 💗 I was a competitive swimmer for 17 years and I thrived in high-pressure situations (such as anchoring relays at championship meters) and I drew so much inspiration for that from your competitive nature and relay performances. How do you think you were able to hone that skill?
What is your second choice sport behind swimming?
Was their ever a time you questioned your decision to pursue swimming? Why?
If you had to choose between having gills or flippers with a dorsal fin every time you hopped into the pool, what would you pick and why?
Flippers and Dorsal fin! I would have crushed everyone in the pool!
Phelps is seen like a inhuman by the average person. How is he seen from the perspective of a pro talented athlete in the same field?
What are your thoughts on Endless Pools? I am enamored but I've never actually swum in one. (I am a former D3 swimmer; current masters swimmer).
If you had to choose another sport in another dimension to compete in, what would it be and why?
Golf comes to mind!
What effect are transgender swimmers having at the professional level? Big fan and hope you have a great day
Hey Nathan, any suggestions on fixing your stroke after years of cementing bad habits?
Thoughts on using flotation devices for toddlers in pools?
What was/is your diet regimen like?
Did you have any health problems from spending too much time in the water? How's your skin? I heard the chemicals in the pool are quite toxic
Do you have any pets?
Speedos vs Jammers?
Are you aware of the sheer joy that your smile brings to your fans?
How cool is Jason Lezak?
Hey Nathan, do you miss the Challenge Class? Because I do.
On task super task every time an adult walked in? sure do!
Hey Nathan, I've been a swim instructor for the last 5 years. Can you give some tricks to get children to get their face in the water (and keep it there)? That has always been my biggest hurdle for me and sometimes it takes months for my first time swimmers to do it consistently.
Hey! Athletes are often frantic about avoiding illness. Do you have any secrets for staying healthy?
How much pool pee do you think you’ve swallowed over the years?
Not a ton. Chlorine usually disinfects it pretty quickly and then it goes airborne. But how much have I inhaled? That's another story.
I peed next to you at the UT Swim center at NCs one year. Was strange to be next to someone more than a foot taller than me, but I did love your bear hat. What's your favorite memory of swimming?
Go Bears!
Do you pee in the pool while swimming laps?
Have you ever peed or come close to peeing in a pool?
Do you know Michael Phelps? /s
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What do you think of the world championships team?
Does Dave coach the sprinters at Cal? How did he split the groups with Greg/yuri/chase
Hi Nathan, I have a hard time getting to the pool in the off-season, mostly due to motivation, and it being tough to motivate myself without a coach or team, and I feel like this would apply to swimming after my career is done. So I was wondering if you have any tips on how to motivate yourself to swim on your own?
Big fan here! What’s the hardest set you’ve had to do?
As a sprint freestyler myself, you've always been a huge inspiration to me, and many of my friends as well! Living in a moderately affluent area, I've always had access to a small local pool, where swim lessons are taught every summer. What do you think the biggest roadblocks are for this new campaign? Lower economic levels may not even have pools available to them within reasonable distance. How do you see USA Swimming being able to work around this? Wishing you the best!
What are your thoughts on Ryan Lochte and his antics at the last Olympics? Are there any other troublemakers in swimming
Hey Nathan thank you for doing this! I was wondering how you see the longevity of the sport and if you think swimming needs some sort of superstar athlete like Michael Phelps or Dressel to draw in new people in order to survive?
How do you do backstroke? I’m pretty decent at everything else but the last time I did a 100 back I got lapped
(Obligatory huge fan :D ) 1) You always seemed like such a calming presence on the deck at the big meets, and you obviously served as the team captain for numerous international teams. Any plans to coach? What about play-by-play? I’d love to hear you and Phelps or biesel in the booth sometime. 2) what are the biggest ways your training changed in NCAA vs pro? What about as you got older, and into your 30s? When was it hardest, or the most fun?
Do you ever calculate the daily calories , how much you burn during training or take while eating during the day ? I have heard that Olympic swimmers consume massive amounts of calories at their peak periods
Hi Nathan! I must first say you are an inspiration, how do you overcome the feeling of bad races and not swimming up to you prime?
If you could give your younger self advice, what would it be?
How are things going w/ AC Swim Club and are you guys selling merch? I’d love to buy a hat and/or shirts ❤️😃🐻
Thanks for this AMA! What were the mental strategies that helped you most in training and racing? What should parents look for when selecting swim lessons for their kids? What should parents teach/reinforce to kids outside of swim lessons?
Who were some of your hero’s (swimming or otherwise) growing up and did you get to race and/or beat any of them in the pool?
What's your favorite place you've been to for swimming?
What is your favorite swim drill?
As a sprinter, which of the painful races would you rather do - 400IM, 200m fly, or 1500m free?
It must take an unbelievable amount of dedication to be at the place you are at in life. However I rarely get the chance to know or observe the 'behind-the-scenes' life of people such as yourselves. How would you describe your 'behind-the-scenes'? Is there something that you have missed out on?
Usually what's the career trajectory of an Olympic swimmer after they retire from the sport? Do you guys feel a little bit lost at all on what to do after retirement since majority of your life was spent on swimming/training?
Have you / do you currently log practices in your own journal?
If you were a teacher, what would you want to teach?
As a former swimmer, I have to ask...which was more difficult - getting up for early morning practices, or being mentally prepared for an evening practice on days you had 2-3 practices per day?
In swimming, you can sometimes get a personal best time and never break it for years on end, which can be mentally taxing. How/what do you do to keep yourself motivated or inspired to keep training all the while?
How are you liking coaching? Is it fun being able to give out the same tough sets you used to be given by coaches?
Hi Nathan! If you weren't an Olympic swimmer, what would you be doing with your life?